\u201cDead butt syndrome\u201d sounds like something a physical therapist made up to get people off their couches. It also happens to be a real condition, with a real medical name, and if you sit at a desk for a living, there\u2019s a reasonable chance you have it.<\/p>\n
Gluteal amnesia, as it\u2019s actually called, is the clinical term for what happens when the glute muscles weaken and stop firing correctly, according to Body & Soul<\/a>. Physiotherapist Jimmy Goulis of Pollinate Health<\/a> describes the glutes as the largest and most powerful muscles in the body, responsible for walking, running, climbing stairs, getting out of a chair, and maintaining balance. When they stop doing their job, other muscles are forced to compensate, and that\u2019s when things start to go wrong.<\/p>\n \u201cThe brain loses its ability to recruit the glutes efficiently when we need them,\u201d explains exercise scientist Amelia Phillips, co-founder of Vitality360<\/a>.<\/p>\n The cause is simple enough. Prolonged sitting squashes the gluteal muscles, sciatic nerve, and blood vessels in the area. Over time, the muscles lose strength and endurance. The brain essentially forgets how to call on them. You might notice this as lower back pain during glute bridges, or quads that fatigue quickly during squats, while your glutes contribute almost nothing.<\/p>\n How to tell if your glutes have switched off<\/p>\n Phillips recommends two at-home checks. The single-leg bridge involves lying on your back, bending your knees, extending one leg, and driving through your planted heel to raise your hips off the floor. If the hips drop or the hamstrings immediately take over, the glutes are checked out. The second is a floor-to-standing test, no hands, no knees. Harder than it sounds for most people.<\/p>\n What Weak Glutes Actually Cost You<\/p>\n